The San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Shea Salinas left, and the Houston Dynamo midfielder Corey Ashe right, during the first half of MLS soccer game action at BBVA Compass Stadium Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Houston . less

The San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Shea Salinas left, and the Houston Dynamo midfielder Corey Ashe right, during the first half of MLS soccer game action at BBVA Compass Stadium Saturday, March 30, 2013, in ... more

Photo: James Nielsen, Houston Chronicle

Dynamo defender Ashe continues ascent toward sport's top tier

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His developmental player's salary barely would have covered the rent in 2007.

Despite the limited funds, Ashe never once called home asking for help. As a rookie in 2007, he and two roommates shared a three-bedroom apartment.

The rent was just south of $1,000, divided in proportion to the size of the bedroom. Ashe had the smallest room and thus paid the least, but there was little money left for essentials.

On a budget

"My rent was $280 plus utilities," Ashe said. "More than half of my check was gone. I did a little bit of (youth soccer) coaching on the side. You try to save the per diem on the road.

"You try to limit the spending. I got a lot of advice from my parents on how to make it work. It was tough. Obviously I don't wish that on any athlete."

In his seventh season in Major League Soccer, Ashe, 27, is no longer struggling to make ends meet. He and his wife, Jennifer, have their own place, and they live comfortably on his $80,000 salary, which is modest for American sports but good for MLS.

More Information

Sunday: Dynamo at N.Y. Red Bulls

When/where: 1 p.m.; Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J.

TV/radio: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes; 1560 AM, 850 AM in Spanish.

Dynamo (6-5-5) update: The Dynamo seek their first regular-season victory since May 8. In that span, they are 0-3-3 in Major League Soccer play and 1-4-3 in all competitions, with the victory coming against a third-tier club in the Open Cup. Midfielders Brad Davis (left hamstring strain) and Boniek Garcia (right hamstring strain) are questionable.

Red Bulls (7-6-4) update: The Red Bulls are coming off an embarrassing 3-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union. … Thierry Henry paces the Red Bulls with six goals. Tim Cahill and Jamison Olave have four each. Juninho leads the club with four assists.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz

So the kid who paid his dues while fighting to earn playing time behind Dynamo greats Brad Davis, Brian Mullan and Stuart Holden is on the cusp of making his name on the international scene.

Two years after Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear experimented by putting the quick Ashe at left back against the New York Red Bulls, Ashe returns to face New York at Red Bull Arena as one of the top left backs in MLS.

His talent has been recognized by U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who called up Ashe along with forward Will Bruin and Holden, a midfielder who plays in England, for the Gold Cup.

"Corey Ashe, we had called in before the Belgium game (in May), and unfortunately he got injured, but he's also been consistent," Klinsmann said. "We want to give those players the opportunity to come in and prove their point and be confident about themselves.

"That's why we are happy to have a foundation of players now coming out of MLS that every year become more mature and more consistent."

All of his international appearances have been with the U-23 national team in 2008 and with the U-17 team at the U-17 World Cup in 2003.

Steady presence

Despite the groin injury that knocked him out of the last call-up to the national team for the friendly against Belgium last month, he has started all 16 regular-season games this season. He adapted so well to his move to left back in 2011 that he earned a spot on the MLS All-Star team.

"I think the call-up to the national team means a lot to Corey, means the world to Corey because Corey continues to strive to go further and further and further," said his mother, Elaine. "That's with his sport; that's with his life."